


Of Knights, Love And Bed Monsters

by adrift_me



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cute Kids, Established Relationship, Family, Fluff, M/M, Original Character(s), Surrogacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-04-05 16:10:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4186314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrift_me/pseuds/adrift_me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur's and Merlin's son is scared of a monster under his bed. What is better be used for fighting it - love, magic or a sword? Perhaps, all three at once?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Knights, Love And Bed Monsters

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BeneaththeHalo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeneaththeHalo/gifts).



> Written for BBC Merlin Mpreg Father's Day Exchange!  
> Dear Kate, I hope you will enjoy this little giftie! :)

Arthur’s heart clenched when he heard his son’s crying. He was sitting in the living room, lazily clicking through the TV channels, waiting for Merlin to return from work. As Nathan’s crying started increasing in volume by every second, Arthur dashed into the children’s bedroom, flipping light switches up on his way.

“What is it, Nath?” he asked softly, coming inside the dark bedroom. The little boy with dark, almost black hair was sitting in a corner of his bed, rubbing sleepy wet eyes. The black hair was Arthur’s half-sister heritage. God knows how she managed to come back from the dead, but Arthur would never forget  the day she appeared on their threshold. Shaking, crying and with big scared eyes, no trace of magic in herself. As they let her in, Morgana relayed them her apologies and sincere repentance. Arthur had difficulties with accepting it, but seeing his good old sister back with kindness in her eyes couldn’t leave him cold and indifferent. Morgana would never have stayed and before leaving for the States, she agreed to help Merlin and Arthur have children without having unknown blood. In nine months with the help of Merlin she brought them Owen and in three years she bore another child, Nathan.

When Arthur went inside the bedroom, Owen was hanging over the fence of their bunk bed, looking at his brother with big eyes.

“Daddy, there is a monster under Nath’s bed,” said the elder brother, now climbing down his bed. He clumsily slumped onto the messed blanket, just like his father Merlin would. Arthur sat between them. He clicked on the night light in a shape of a dragon and soft yellow light brightened up the room.

“Nath, why do you think there is a monster?” he asked softly and kindly. Nathan shook his head and embraced his pulled up knees.

There was a loud sound of the front door closing. Nath stopped wailing, listening in closely. There was clothing rustle and someone started making their way through the house.

“Daddy came back,” said Owen happily. Soon enough Merlin’s head and then his whole body, packed in a suit, appeared on the threshold of the room. Arthur could see how tired his husband was, yet there was a happy smile on his face. He always seemed so positive, to disturbing limits positive.

“What is wrong?” Merlin’s smile faded off when his glance brushed over Nath’s red face. “Has your father been telling silly stories again?”

“Nathan says there is a monster under his bed,” Arthur gave Merlin a meaningful look. They both knew what worked best if they wanted to calm their sons down and cuddle them into sleep. Magic and stories.

Merlin sat right on the floor, on the fluffy white carpet, and Owen’s and Nath’s eyes widened with horror and admiration of their father’s bravery.

“But if there is a monster, then we should fight it!” Merlin nodded at his son. Owen crawled closer and embraced Arthur’s thick arm, holding onto it as if it was a rescuing straw. Arthur ruffled his brown hair.

“But Daddy, we can’t fight a monster. It is big and it will eat us!” said Nath with childish incredulity.

“Of course, we can fight a monster!” objected Arthur. “We have swords and magic.”

“Like wizards and knights?”

Merlin nodded. Arthur and Merlin knew how much their children loved medieval stories and legends, how they admired courageous and adventurous knights, how they were fond of mysterious wise sorcerers. Though they never knew they were sons of the Once and Future King, they did know about Merlin’s magic and kept it as the biggest family secret.

“Like wizards and knights,” repeated Arthur. “Now, tell me why you think there is a monster? I can’t see or hear anyone!”

“It woke me up,” said Nathan and rubbed his eyes again. “It was growling and moving under there.”

Merlin’s gaze followed his son’s gesturing finger. Arthur couldn’t help but smile at seeing the grin on Merlin’s face. They both knew what was coming.

“Okay, let’s see together, shall we?”

“No, Daddy!” said Owen warningly, unclenching himself from Arthur’s arm. “It’s dangerous!”

“But we are not afraid, are we? You two will be the King’s knights and Daddy will be your wizard. Let’s pick your swords,” Arthur turned on the spot and pulled two plastic swords out of a box at the end of the bunk bed. He gave them to the boys. Owen held it up as Arthur would in his King days. Nathan picked up his sword clumsily. Merlin moved to a kneeling position and looked at his sons both lovingly and confidentially.

“I will light your way and you will strike the monster!”

“Okay, Daddy,” said Owen and Nathan together. They carefully crawled to the end of the bed, nearly drowning in a soft blanket.

Arthur fidgeted. Despite seeing Merlin’s magic so many times, he had troubles with getting used to it. The pain was sometimes stinging him, as he realized how long his servant and friend lied to him, and yet, he remembered Merlin’s words. “ _I use it for you, Arthur._ ” And it had always been the last point of his doubts, for they all disappeared when Merlin looked at him.

“ _Leoht_ ,” whispered Merlin.

There was a soft flash of gold in his eyes. As they gleamed, Merlin looked up at Arthur, as he always did when using magic in his presence. There was mischief in his glance and a bright grin touched his lips. A strange shapeless light appeared in Merlin’s palm.

“Are you ready, knights?”

Nathan and Owen nodded, both gripping their toy swords. Merlin lowered his palm under the bed. The two boys became tense as they silently crawled off the bed and kneeled to look under the bed, lit up with Merlin’s magical light. There was nothing.

“The monster is gone,” concluded Nathan, staring into nowhere. Owen giggled.

“I challenge you!” he yelled suddenly and hit his brother lightly with a sword. Merlin laughed with them, as they started sword fighting. It might have been a bit too late for two little boys to sword fight, but Merlin and Arthur couldn’t help watching them lovingly. They reminded the two men of their time in Camelot. There were many things to remind them of it, but having their sons around, young princes which were yet to know life and lucky enough not face all the horrors of the magic war, was their best gift. Sometimes Arthur feared, that Morgana’s worst features would appear in one of his sons, and he did all he could to raise them in kind and understanding family. He knew that one day the both will show signs of magical essence and he was ready to accept it.

When Nathan and Owen got tired of their duel and Merlin was falling asleep as well, they returned them into their warm beds. Arthur leaned to plant a kiss on Nathan’s forehead, as his younger son asked,

“Can I be a knight when I grow up?”

“You can be anything you want, son. I will support you, you just tell me,” said Arthur, looking into Nathan’s eyes and giving him a kind fatherly smile.

As Merlin and Arthur left the bedroom, they leaned to the wall, arms embracing each other.

“Could I be happier?” asked Arthur, his voice sounding muffled in Merlin’s shoulder. His husband chuckled and Arthur shook his head. Will he ever become serious?

**Author's Note:**

> For any questions, typo reports and suggestions, please contact me on [Tumblr](http://toffy346.tumblr.com/)


End file.
